The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-03-06
BROADWAY CELEBRITIES.
Poets, Editors, Actors, and Artists Who Are
No More and Who Left No Successors.
Special to the Indianapolis Journal

Special to the indianapolis Journal
New YORK. March 5-Once upon a time-I
guess in 1871 wrote a sketch of an afternoon
stroll had taken along Broadway, and told Of
the famous New Workers 1 met between Union
square and the Battery. 1t needed quite roll
TO take them all in, and will not try to give it.
But few days ago, while again going over the
same ground, was struck with the fact that
not only had all these celebrities disappeared,
but that their vacant places had not been taken
by others OF equal renown.
l recall, for example, the foremost of our
American poets, William Cullen Bryant, whose
slight figure and stern face were often seen on
the sunny side as he stepped along with light,
jaunty air. though then almost an octogenarian,
a poet, who. before he was twenty, gave us
'Thanatopsis." and, after he was eighty, poem
yet more majestic. When, few days ago,
again strolled along Broadway, l met two or
three rhymesters and versifers whose manuscripts
| had often handled; but in Jour pedestrian tour
| of Broadway, last Monday. you might have
| scanned every face from the Central Park to
| Castle Garden without meeting another such
| poet as the venerable Bryant, who, born under
| the presidency of George Washington, died dur
/ ing the term of President Hayes.
/ recall on Broadway that old time afternoon
the slouchipg gait, bland face and lll-ftting gar
| ments of Horace Greeley, then running as can
didate for President. and on the very verge OF
| the tragedy which ended his brave career. Now
| adays, any sunny afternoon, you may chance &c
see on Broadway a half dozen enterprising
editors of our daily press; but where among
| them all, from the Union League to Trinity
| Church, will you meet such another moral giant
as he who, from early manhood to the day Of
| triumph, waged war against the powers and
princpalities by which chattel slavery was but
| tressed2
lit A. L.
moved heavily and slowly along. the massive
frame and scowling face of the greatest OF
American tragedians, Edwin Forrest. whom
| first saw as Hamlet, and last saw as Lear, and
whose stormy career was the natural outgrowth
of his tempestuous soul. The other day. near
the same locality. along the plaza of Union
square, saw a contingent of that mob of play
| actors who are forever looking for engagements
| as comedy or tragedy men. Smart fellows no
| doubt, many of them are but where in all
| your travels. from the Harlem river to the har-
bor will you find any American actor who
could mold candle" to the unapproachable
| Edwin Forrestg
recall from the day of that stroll in 1872 the
| handsome figure. aspiring face and graceful step
| Of William Page, the titular head OF American
art, as president of the Academy of Design,
i whose elevated genius gave us Moses and
Shakespeare, and who, before his death. took di-
vinity itself for his theme. Page, of whom
Lowell once gayly sang, and whose life went cut
in gloom on Staten Island but few years ago
In these our days AS one strolls along Broadway,
he may NOD to business artists by the score;
but such genius as Page can be seen turning
into Tenth street on his way to the Studio
Bdllling.
l recall to memory the self-absorbed mien of
Thurlow Weed Twelfth street. where he
lived and the sharpest politician who toddles
over the pavement to-day looks no bigger than a
gosling under the shadow of that boss political
manager of yesterday.
l recall the patriarchal aspect of Peter Cooper
in his old one-horse cab that sunny afternoon:
and the imposing presence of the ''cosmic bard, u
Walt Whitman, on top of omnibus; and A. r..
Stewart. the spruce millionaire, whose bones
have since become one of the mysteries of New
York; and Harry Clapp the Bohemian King of
| Pfaffs. the wierdest face the most shrivelea
anatomy oblivious Of the world and himself.
And yet others less renowned I met on the
crowded trottoir that sunny autumn afternoon O
few years back
repeat my regret that when, the other day. ]
again strolled along Broadway did not chance
to meet such intellectual celebrities as have
} just spoken of, though did meet score oil
heavy mllionaires between Madison square and
Wall street, and hundred thousand anxious
faced, hnrrying pedestrians looking as if they
were pursued by the dollar of which theylare il
pursuit JOHN SwINToN.